In the 1980's the rate of increase of the minority population of the

Hello milanrajb,

We hope this finds you well.

To provide a bit of clarity, Option A is incorrect because it incorrectly compares "the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States" to "the 1970s"; remember, a comparison can only be made between similar things.

Option C correctly compares "the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States" with "what it was", wherein "it" refers to "the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team

You should just keep in mind that such a phrasing may be acceptable (a lesson learned from examples such as this one)—but FIRST go through all of the differences/splits in the answers that could constitute solid grounds for elimination.

In this problem, you can make all the required eliminations by using...
• redundancy ("rate" + "fast")
• incorrect pronoun use ("that of the 1970s" —> "the rate of increase of the 1970s" is nonsense)
• illogical comparison ("two times greater than the 1970s" —> the 1970s is not a rate)
...so there isn't even a need to actively analyze the "what..." part.

What is the role played by 'what' in the OA? Is it relative pronoun here? If so, two pronouns (what and it) simultaneously to refer a single noun (the rate of increase) seems unusual.

Dear GMATGuruNY

How can I expressed that increase in one year was faster in other year?

1970s NOT 1970's -> the 1970's is equivalent to "the rate in 1970s". This is very misleading and totally changes what the correct answer should be.

Hi sayantanc2k,

Your explanation is great.

I have one query. Don't we need of before what in option C?

In the 1980's the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States was nearly twice of what it was in 1970's.

Thank you in advance.

EMPOWERgmatRichC
Hi! I think this particular question would benefit from your approach

I really find it hard to make a comment here because the answer is so varied

"What" can occasionally be used as a pronoun in a non-question, as a relative pronoun, but when used as a pronoun, iit is used as a singular phrase:

#takeaway "what" = "the things that"

(C) twice what it was in = "twice the thing[rate] that it was in 1970's

Hi ChrisLele

I get your point regarding the answer choice. Just had one query, shouldn't it be 'twice of what it was in' ?

Thanks

Please advise what is the difference between 1970s and 1970’s as far as I understand an apostrophe indicates ownership (John’s book).
So why we cannot have the rate elided in the E option

Hi GMATGuruNY,

I have the same query, is 1970's same as 1970s?

Yes.
When referring to a decade, the GMAT will sometimes use an apostrophe, as in the SC here:
In the 1980's, the rate was twice what it was in the 1970's.
At other times, the GMAT will omit the apostrophe, as in SC121 in the OG12:
Sales of wines increased in the late 1980s.
Consider the two constructions interchangeable.

twice n
twice n as the rate...in
two times faster than n
two times n


In the 1980's the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States was nearly twice as fast as the 1970's.

(A) twice as fast as
(B) twice as fast as it was in
as it was in(ok)
(C) twice what it was in
(D) two times faster than that of
than that of(ok)
(E) two times greater than
two times greater than(ok)+in 1970

I think the question wanted to highlight 1970s rather than 1970's

If yes then the answer C makes senses, else it should be A.

Anyone else have the same thought?

in C]

many a times we say 'what' is ambiguous. How to identify such right answers

Isn't twice an adverb , so how it can be used with rate of increase which is noun

In the 1980's the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States was nearly twice as fast as the 1970's.

Option Elimination -
In standard usage - 1970's and the 1970s mean the same - the decade from 1970 to 1979.

(A) twice as fast as - "the rate" is compared with a decade. Moreover, "the rate" can not be faster, slower, or greater. It can be just twice something.
(B) twice as fast as it was in - "the rate" can not be faster, slower, or greater. It can be just twice something.
(C) twice what it was in - "What" can also introduce a noun clause, known as an indirect question, in which the clause functions as a noun or the object. Eg. The researcher wanted to know what the results would be. She asked me what my plans were. I was curious about what caused the problem. In the noun clauses introduced by "what" acts as an object of the verb "know," "asked," and "curious about."

The comparison is complete - In the 1980's, the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States was nearly twice what the rate of increase was in the 1970's. We could also convey the same meaning: "In the 1980's, the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States was nearly twice the rate of increase in the 1970's." But we don't have any option like this.
(D) two times faster than that of - "the rate" can not be faster, slower, or greater. It can be just twice something.
(E) two times greater than - "the rate" compared with a decade of 1970s/1970's - wrong.